Articles written by Michael Deqel - Page 2

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About me - Michael Deqel

Poet and photographer Michael Deqel holds degrees in psychology, creative writing, and English literature from the University of Minnesota. He studied Torah and Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) in the US and in Israel; he's also been an anti-racist activist and

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Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Continuing crises in the Middle East: Should the US and allies be involved?: 1 of 7
Some in Israel think that if the rest of the world would stop interfering, and perhaps even ignore, the Middle East crises, that the various sides then would need to find a solution. Without funding and media attention, the argument goes, both sides would not be able to continue in conflict and would have to find a path towa... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Speculations & Criticisms Religion: Truth or fiction: 3 of 20
The topic of the "truth or fiction" of religion presupposes 1.) that there is a "truth" we can know and 2.) that fiction is not "truth." Let's start with the second supposition, as it's the easier to wrestle with. Fiction has two senses, but primarily it is a literary form. The fact that the literary form uses made up charac... More..
Education > Homework & Testing Tips for successfully completing a writing assignment: 3 of 16
The five-paragraph essay will help you learn the writing skills to successfully complet a writing assignment. Each of the five paragraphs accomplishes a purpose: the first paragraph, to introduce the essay; the second through third paragraphs, to develop and support the point of the essay; the last paragrap,h to conclude the... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Judaism The "culture Jew": Preserving ethnic identity over religious observance: 1 of 5
Judaism as a culture, people and religion. The complexity of the interrelations between a people (or nation), a culture, and a religion, have many nuances and ramifications which both unite and divide Jews throughout the world. At the heart of Jewish culture and the Jewish people is the Torah, the story of the emergence of t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Will the current peace process in the Middle East yield lasting results?: 11 of 50
When the UN created Israel in 1948, war broke out. In 1949, a truce was declared and "The Green Line" was drawn on a map to demark ceasefire borders. Wars broke out regularly: in 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982 and 2006. The conflict, including terrorist attacks and military retribution, has continued almost non-stop. The famous Camp... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Judaism Testimonies: What does it mean to be a Jew?: 1 of 4
Five areas come to mind that I would like to cover in answering the question, "What does it mean to be a Jew?" - Shabbat; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; Tanach; Talmud, Mishneh and Gemara (Oral Torah); and (largely related to the US response to secular Christmas) Hanukkah. I will cover each in turn. SHABBAT The sacred day of ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Judaism Was Abraham the first to study Kabbalah?: 1 of 4
There are several problems with the assertion that Abraham studied Kabbalah. First, the materials grouped together under the heading Kabbalah are part of the Oral Torah, by tradition. This is learning that was handed down at Mount Sinai orally, in combination with the Written Torah which came with the Covenant of Ark. Moses ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Ending the conflict in the Middle East: 9 of 34
Resolving the conflict in the Middle East requires the patience and skill of an archaelogist piecing together the broken shards of an ancient pot, not to mention historical and cultural understanding at least as deep as that same archaelogist. First, one has to define which of the many conflicts and what part of the Middle E... More..
Education > Homework & Testing How stress can affect testing results: 4 of 15
Stress raises adrenaline levels and can improve awareness and performance, as with athletes in competition. On the other hand, too much stress or chronic stress has the opposite effect, decreasing performance and interfering with memory and focus. Excitement and a desire to perform well on a test, therefore, is probably a go... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Soldiers & Veterans Should protesters be permitted to picket military recruiting offices in the US?: 14 of 46
Asking whether demonstrators should be allowed to protest diverts the public conversation from the necessary civil, democratic dialogue on issues of government policy to a red-herring argument that engages passion and emotions under the flag of nationalism. This blind-nationalism often veers democratic values off the cliff i... More..